SOMETIMES I wonder what has happened to change our country into the uncaring society that it is today.
What has brought us to a situation where the most vulnerable, the aged and the infirm are treated, in some areas, as second class citizens?
Why are those in jail, even the most evil offenders, better looked after than some old people in their own and care homes? A prisoner get meals, activities and immediate medical treatment 24/7.
I read that in some parts of the country elderly people have been allowed to become malnourished or left in soiled beds for hours on end because of cutbacks in social care. They are, in effect, prisoners, but treated much worse.
Instead of the three square meals a day, prompt medical attention and activities, let’s make offenders sell their houses and use their savings to keep them in prisons and ignore their human rights as the old and vulnerable are being ignored at present.
Mrs N Clarke
Almondbury
Police Commissioner
I SEE that Clr Mark Burns-Williamson is continuing his fight to prevent the Government replacing elected chairmen with Police Commissioners as he believes the present set-up is adequate.
He goes on to say in the Examiner that he believes people will be voting for their chief constable in much the same way as they vote for sheriffs in the United States.
If this is the case he also believes that the elected individual represents significant and substantial risks. Given the track record of West Yorkshire Police in the past I am amazed by this comment.
However, I trust that when the Government’s legislation is passed he will not be putting his name forward for the position of Police Commissioner. Perhaps he could confirm this.
There is nothing worse than a chairman of a police authority fighting to prevent a new system being put in place and then actually standing for the post himself.
Clr Christine Smith
Conservative, Kirkburton Ward
Plan comes together
CONGRATULATIONS to Sita, Kilner Bank Improvement Group and the Leeds Road Leisure Project team for developing a scheme that is of value to people of all ages.
A special thank you should go to Michael Butterworth, Colin Ward and Mel Wade whose knowledge and insight made the scheme possible, while a multi-disciplined team worked to deliver the Trim Trail and Canoeing.
Local children and parents will be having a ‘bug hunt’ in August to celebrate the heathland’s new accessibility.
It really is satisfying when a plan comes together for the benefit of the community.
Roger Battye
Dalton
Kirklees union reps
I THOUGHT Clr Mehboob Khan was voted into the position he holds to benefit the ratepayers of Kirklees.
Further to Colin Bateson’s letter (Mailbag, June 28) headed ‘Why should Kirklees folk fund union reps’, perhaps Clr Khan would like to inform the ratepayers how paying union salaries saves money by simplifying negotiations between management and staff?
This last saga of funding union reps is a big joke. I do not remember ever being asked to vote on the subject of union funding.
This funding should have been made public as soon as it was known that the unions were so poor they could not fund the wages of the nine reps employed by the council. They could have then increased union subscriptions.
I wish to opt out of the payments to union reps taken from my rates without my permission or knowledge.
I think it is every ratepayer’s right to have a refund of the amount taken to fund these salaries.
I look forward to receiving my cheque in the post.
Old Almondburian
Huddersfield
Another con trick
WHY is green energy measured in ‘homes worth’ and not in ‘factories worth’?
Because 70,000 homes sounds a lot better than one small steel works!
Yet another con job perpetrated on the masses.
Allen Jenkinson
Milnsbridge
St George our hero
IT seems some writers to Mailbag are following in the footsteps of the barbarous Normans, a millennium later, in denying the English their heroes.
They imply that the English were not leaders in creating the modern world, in the forefront of medicine, engineering, science and many other disciplines.
Nor can we forget our modern heroes, Englishmen and women who are killed, wounded or traumatised – armed forces or civilian – in preserving our values and institutions.
But these Mailbag writers deny St George and I find this disgusting and offensive.
St George was adopted the patron saint of England in 1349, 50 years after the last crusade. That’s 662 years ago.
To give some idea of this time in history, it was 143 years before America was discovered.
May Day has been tainted forever by communism. It stood for revolution of labour achieved by one-party politics and not a tranquil spring rebirth and regeneration honoured for centuries by our ancestors.
From the Government down it seems our ancient nation comes second to rest of the world’s population.
Len Sandford
Lepton
Thanks to helpers
I WOULD like to say a most sincere thank you to the following people who came to my aid when I had an accident on my bike in Salendine Nook last week.
I’d especially like to thank the two very kind gentlemen who were painting the white lines in the car park, especially the gentleman who sat with me on the wall.
To the kind person who provided an umbrella and finally to the ambulance gentleman who even made sure that my bike was safe and checked my helmet was not damaged.
On behalf of myself and my family, many thanks.
Mary Biddulph
Mount
Reply to jobseeker
A FEW months ago in the Examiner a large article was printed featuring a local textile company that had problems getting the youth of today interested in textiles as it is considered old fashioned.
My 22-year-old son was very interested.
He contacted the firm and was luckily given an interview and told he would be further contacted.
The interview seemed to go well and we all had a glimmer of hope for the future.
Three weeks later he went back to the firm and asked to see the manager but he was busy so my son left a polite request for feedback.
A week later my son emailed for feedback. A week later he wrote for feedback and enclosed a stamped addressed envelope. He got no response.
We appreciate times are hard, firms are struggling, people are busy but for the thousands of lazy work-shy people in this country there are many thousands more who are desperate for work and glimmers of hope are what we live for.
Unemployment does not just affect the unemployed. Their family, too, is affected, stressed and worried.
So please employers, try to be more considerate. You hold people’s lives in your hands.
In the meantime, my intelligent, hardworking son is still looking for work.
J Rothery
Mirfield
Camera vans
I DON’T see anything wrong with camera vans.
They should drive through Birkby. There are cars parked on double yellow lines, at bus stops on Halifax Old Road and cars parked fully on the pavement in Norwood Road.
This is where they could make loads of money.
H TAYLOR
BIRKBY
Ominous silence
IT WOULD seem an ominous silence has settled over the Holmfirth Technical College saga.
Where is the big meeting we are supposed to have? Are we quietly to be forgotten and hope we will go away? We need to know what is going on sooner rather than later.
That building is ideal for its purpose to teach older, infirm and adult education.
Some older people cannot afford to travel far to other centres. It is important we keep pressure up or we will be forgotten.
Eddie Sykes
Slaithwaite
